Daytona 24

cegerer · cegerer's Garage

Porsche 1st thru 6th overall in the early going. 1 & 2 are the Prototypes and 3-6 are 996's.

BTW: those prototypes are astonishingly ugly!!! They didn't look quite so bad in the all-black testing version, but with that Red Bull livery? It hurts to look .... -- Curt

GIBSON · GIBSON's Garage

Curt, have to agree, those things are not lookers, we'll see how they last. There is not that much of a speed differential between them and the GT cars, going into the banking together, it takes until exit of turn 3 to get by the GT car. This is a plus for the GT Porsches as they are not driving in their mirrors quite as much as before.

Jack Olsen · 02-01-2003, 12:37 PM

They tested for 32 hours straight, and then it was the testers, not the cars, that threw in the towel.

Not easy on the eyes, though, I agree.

You can get live results at:

Java applet format

HTML format

Jack Olsen · 01:09 PM

Porsche in 1-4, and 6 of the top 10 spots.

And as an interesting side note about Dave Klym and his shop Fabcar's competence. Fabcar did some custom work on the front control arms for BB2. I sent them UPS, and they got to him on Monday of this week. By Wednesday, I got a call from Dave telling me that the mods had been done and the pieces were on their way back to me. That's 24 hours turnaround, from a shop three days away from running two of their brand-new prototypes in a 24 hour race.

Amazing.

Jim Garfield · 02-01-2003, 02:25 PM

I don't know if I would call those things prototypes Curt. I think of prototypes as being
cutting edge technology and those cars are about 180 degrees from that.

They look like something you might be able to order from JC Whitney.

I realize that
it's not Fabcars fault that they look that way, the formula dictates the "look" but yow
them muthas is ugly!...and slow.

clnilsen · clnilsen's Garage

I don't have access to speed channel, anyone know of a way to listen to the race on the internet?

Thanks!

Chuck

Doug Zielke · 02-01-2003, 02:52 PM

Go Racer's Group #66!

Jack Olsen · 02-01-2003, 03:11 PM

Bad hour for both the Racer's Group and Brumos -- each lost a car. Of course, the teams still hold first and second place with their second cars.

Eric Coffey · 02-01-2003, 03:21 PM

Yeah, looks like the 16 year-old driver sent the Racer's Group car right into (head-on, full steam), and over the top of a prototype that had spun 180 degrees. Hmmm, all the other cars seemed to avoid hitting him. Maybe they shouldn't let just any driver's "pay to play" anymore.

rfuerst911sc · 02-01-2003, 03:22 PM

I just got home from spending the whole dat at Daytona,I have to agree that the prototypes are ugly and slow!!! I'm happy a Porsche GT car has a chance to win overall but the prototypes are supposed to be the top class and they have a long way to go!I am looking forward to Sebring and seeing the best of the best,go Racers Group!!!!!

724doorE · 02-01-2003, 03:34 PM

I think I read that the rules makers specified the constuction methods and shape(kind of like a generic nascar frame that everyone puts their panels on). They are why it is ugly. And again the rules makers made the classes closer speed wise. Looks like they did successfully accomplish that task at least.

Like most, I long for the old days at times, but we have the chance of H.H. winning on the 30th anniversary or a straight 911(996) doing the same. Not sure which one would be better.

Yea the Fabcar is ugly though, much more so than the old camel light car they build in the middle 80's.

Wish I were there!

Jim Garfield · 02-01-2003, 04:11 PM

Actually Eric it wasn't Hessert III driving that car. It was the other Racer's Group car.

Eric Coffey · 02-01-2003, 04:54 PM

Thanks for the clarification Jim. I guess the initial commentary isn't always accurate. In any case, it looked like complete brain-fade. Although, it's probably one of those you-don't-really-know-unless-you-were-there type of situations.

Doug E · 02-01-2003, 06:00 PM

Good lord are those prototypes ugly - especially next to those super sexy F360's.

BTW, what happened to all the open cockpit cars this year - maybe there was a rules change I missed ?????

Can't wait to tune back in tomorrow morning and see what took place in the dark.

Jim Richards · 02-01-2003, 07:04 PM

But will the super sexy F360's go the distance?

BTW - last I saw that 16 yr. old kid was moving the #66 car up a few places. Good job!

Hockey fan · 02-01-2003, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Richards
But will the super sexy F360's go the distance?

Well, they already had one burn up. Sure seemed to take quite awhile for the safety crew to arrive and put out the fire.

Jeff

Jim Richards · 02-01-2003, 07:07 PM

I think another one was customized by a wall...not quite so sexy now.

Hockey fan · 02-01-2003, 07:11 PM

The real-time website shows Ferrari's in 6th, 8th, and 9th places. The Racer's Group still has about 1/2 lap lead over the prototype.

Should be a good race.

tchanson · 02-02-2003, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Garfield
I don't know if I would call those things prototypes Curt. I think of prototypes as being
cutting edge technology and those cars are about 180 degrees from that.

They look like something you might be able to order from JC Whitney. I realize that
it's not Fabcars fault that they look that way, the formula dictates the "look" but yow
them muthas is ugly!...and slow.

Amen, brother...

This is what happens when the France family applies their basic WWF type formula to "prototype" sports cars. No offense, but its essentially glorified club racing, masquerading as something more interesting. (although, to be fair, the Grand Am people are on record as not having any desire in having this class appeal to "traditional" sports prototype fans.)....Consider that mission accomplished, Buford.

I'll wait for the ALMS at Sebring, thanks very much...

Tim

bell · bell's Garage

4 hours to go.......and a certain #66 gt car is leading overall still